Obama awards Sgt. 1st Class Petry the Medal of Honor (9 images)

U.S. President Barack Obama awards the Medal of Honor to Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry, U.S. Army, for his heroic actions in Afghanistan in May, 2008, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July12, 2011. Petry is the second living Medal of Honor recipient since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg

U.S. President Barack Obama waits to award the Medal of Honor to Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry, U.S. Army, for his heroic actions in Afghanistan in May, 2008, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July12, 2011. Petry is the second living Medal of Honor recipient since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg

Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry, U.S. Army, waits to receive his Medal of Honor from U.S. President Barack Obama for his heroic actions in Afghanistan in May, 2008, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July12, 2011. Petry is the second living Medal of Honor recipient since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg

Medal of Honor on Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry, U.S. Army, departs after receiving his medal for his heroic actions in Afghanistan in May, 2008, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July12, 2011. Petry is the second living Medal of Honor recipient since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg